


The New Manservant

by dragonflyMerri



Category: Merlin (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-23
Updated: 2012-03-23
Packaged: 2017-11-02 10:27:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/367961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonflyMerri/pseuds/dragonflyMerri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to Long Overdue. With Merlin assuming a new position, Arthur was in need of a new manservant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The New Manservant

Arthur was a trained warrior. He had been training since he was three years old and his skills were honed to the peak of perfection until he stood, as King of Camelot, the prime specimen of a warrior.

Now, as a warrior, his every skill, his every sense, his every training and experience were focused on the knowledge that he was being watched.

Even in deepest sleep, Arthur’s senses never slept. And that was how he knew, even as he slept, he knew he was being watched.

As his body continued to relax into the sheets and pillows of his bed, one arching tendril of his senses reached out to that feeling of being watched. He instantly knew it wasn’t Merlin. He knew the feel of Merlin’s gaze. This was a stranger’s gaze, an unknown….the ENEMY!!

In one swift move, Arthur awoke from a deep sleep into instant awareness, reached for his sword, leaped into a defensive posture and confronted….. “George?”

Standing primly at the foot of the king’s bed, George never flinched from the flurry of movement as the king woke up. He continued staring at the king, crouched in a defensive pose, sword pointed directly at his heart.

“Good morning sire.”

“George! What the hell are you doing here?” Arthur remained in his crouched position, more from confusion then threat, his sword still up. 

“I have laid out your breakfast, your clothes for this morning’s council meeting are ready at the foot of your bed,” George gestured to the clothes, “and I have here the list of your appointments for this morning.”

“But what the hell are you doing here?” 

A brief, very brief flash of confusion passed over George’s face before it smoothed out to his impeccable façade. “As I stated, sire, I have laid out your breakfast, your clothes for this morn…” 

“I heard you the first time!” Arthur straightened out until he was standing on the bed, and he lowered his sword. “Why are you – you George – why are you here as my manservant?” 

“Ah, well Merlin…..” 

The door to Arthur’s chamber slammed open and Merlin entered, smiling broadly when he saw Arthur. 

“Arthur – good you’re awake. Why are you standing on the bed with your sword?” 

“Merlin – what the hell is George doing here?” Arthur stepped down from the bed and replaced his sword in the scabbard hanging off the bedpost.

Merlin quickly looked around the chamber before answering.

“Well, he’s brought your breakfast, laid out your clothes and, if that paper he’s holding is what I think it is, he’s got your list of appoint…”

“I know all that, dammit! I meant – why is George here? George! What is he doing here?”

“He’s your new manservant, I should have thought that was obvious, Arthur.”

Arthur looked at George, and tried not to look as alarmed as he felt. Then he rounded on Merlin, grabbing his arm and dragging him to a far corner.

“George?? Really Merlin?? You appointed George as my new manservant??” Arthur hissed in Merlin’s face.

Merlin lowered his head close to Arthur’s and lowered his voice too. “Well you said you wanted the best manservant I could get. You said that the king deserved to have..”

“I know what I damn well said – but…George???”

The king and the king’s new Advisor both turned and looked at George. Still standing ramrod straight, not having moved from his position, George glanced back at them from the corner of his eye.

Merlin straightened and resumed his normal speaking voice. “Sire, it is a well known fact that George is the finest manservant in Camelot. He is conscientious, excellent at his job, his manners are impeccable, he is in all aspects, the perfect manservant for the king of Camelot.”

Arthur leaned his head close to Merlin’s and whispered through gritted teeth, his lips pealed back in a smile of agreement.

“He is also a pompous git, boring as hell and stricter then the regiment master.”

Biting his cheek to keep from laughing, Merlin nodded in agreement and said out loud. “You’re right sire, George is off to a great start this morning. Shall we eat?” 

Merlin strode over to the breakfast feast, laid out on the side table, leaving Arthur staring after him, mouth open. George hurried after Merlin, helping him to select breakfast items.

“Merlin!” Arthur strode up to the two men, a scowl on his face. “That’s the king’s breakfast – my breakfast.” 

“Hmmm?” Merlin turned to him, mouth stuffed with grapes. Waving a hand at the food he muttered around the grapes “Oh there’s plenty for both of us. I usually ended up eating with you anyway, so I thought we might as well just keep going, make it a formal arrangement. You’re never going to eat all this anyway.”

“That’s my bloody breakfast!!”

“And there’s plenty of it to go around. Honestly Arthur, you got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning!” 

“Yes well, that happens when there’s a strange man in my room staring at me while I sleep!”

Merlin turned to George with a frown. “George, were you staring at the king while he slept.”

“Certainly not. I was merely standing in preparation until the king awoke. Which he did. And as I have served the king previously, I would not regard myself as a stranger.” 

Merlin turned to Arthur, stuffing a fig in his mouth. “He has a point.” 

Arthur looked incredulously at the two men – former manservant and, apparently, present manservant. This was not going to end well, he just knew it.

“George, while I certainly appreciate the professionalism with which you’ve done your job,” Arthur gestured to the feast laid out and which Merlin was again helping himself to, “I was thinking perhaps I might try something different for a change – perhaps instead of a manservant, a maid might…” 

The two men looked at him, scandalized by what he was saying. George’s impeccable eyebrows had even risen in shock. ‘A…a…maid?” he asked. 

Merlin began to vigorously shake his head in denial. “Oh no, Arthur, you can’t have a maid. That wouldn’t do at all.” 

Arthur crossed his arms and assumed the look Merlin privately called his ‘pompous prince look’. 

“Since I AM the king – you do remember that I am the king, don’t you Merlin? Well since I am the king, I think that if I want to have a maid attend me in the morning, then a maid should attend me..” 

“But you can’t!” Merlin was looking distinctly uncomfortable.

“And why can’t I?” 

“Well, it wouldn’t be proper, would it? I mean what with your….um…”

Arthur narrowed his eyes. “My what?”

Now Merlin definitely looked uncomfortable. “Your umm… Arthur, you’re a man…”

“I’m well aware of that fact”

“And, as a man, in the morning, when you wake up, you have…um…a natural…” Merlin gulped “You wake up aroused, very….um…aroused….and….a maid….she might get the wrong idea….and….” 

“OK, enough, stop Merlin. You’ve made your point.” 

Merlin’s face was bright red and as he spoke Arthur felt the blush staining his cheeks. Glancing at George, he was mortified to see that even George had a hint of pink on his cheeks. The three men all looked away from each other.

“So then George,” Merlin cleared his throat and took up the conversation again. “He can stay as your new manservant?”

Arthur looked at George and couldn’t help but see the look of hope in his eyes, a look that was almost completely masked by his manner of the perfect manservant. Realizing he was defeated, Arthur sighed.

“Yes, fine. George is my new manservant. And Merlin, I will find a way to repay you for the fine job you’ve done in appointing George. You shall not go unpunish…unrewarded.”

Merlin gulped down the bun he was chewing and grinned weakly. “Glad you approve Sire.”


End file.
